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Monday, February 29, 2016

Heading to Bibile: Week Three

Winding roads through the mountainous heart of Sri Lanka brought us up into majestic scenery, and down through 18 hairpin curves. (known here as elbows)

Stopped for fresh fruit - local farm to table at its best. Refreshing stop to stretch our legs and enjoy a new taste experience of wood apple juice with milk.. tastes like a milk shake flavored with really good apple sauce.

One of the benefits of Layasing knowing every Methodist minister in Sri Lanka - is arranging to park on the church grounds in the city of Kandy where parking is at a premium.

Heavy rains cleared for Friday's all day eye clinic at Bibile, checking 130 people including villagers, agricultural workers, school children, police officers, retired military, a Buddhist monk, and a witch doctor. (Yes the practice of going to a village witch doctor for cures, potions and spells is still a very real part of life).

Saturday we drove to Mahiyanganaya. Morning service with about 18 new Believers a house church. This is what pioneering a church looks like in Sri Lanka. After a delicious lunch prepared by the church ladies, the eye clinic saw 63 people and gave out 53 pair of glasses. Light dinner of hoppers (egg and plain) and we called it a night.

Sunday Morning we were served breakfast at the mission house. A Sri Lankan specialty of milk rice with your choice of chili sauce, or sweetened with a coconut honey mixture (made from coconut syrup and coconut meat).

The Church grounds have room to grow pepper (shown green immature, plus ripened and dried) when ready, they climb bamboo poles to harvest the pepper berries. Also papaya, banana, and a fruit that when dry, the flesh becomes fluffy and is used as cotton to stuff pillows.

Our weekend literally winds down with a 6+ hour return trip to our home base in Moratuwa. Stay tuned for a report on our final week's adventure. Thank you cannot begin to express our appreciation for your love, prayers and support ~ Pat

If you are wondering what Cyndy is doing back in Montana, visit her photo blog at www.Montana1aDay.com .